Chapter 25
A week has passed and yet there is still no sign of Joe. Casey (bless her) has tried so hard to make me feel better, coming up with crazy assumptions of why he might not be here.
With every crazy assumption would cause more wonder in my mind. It’s just three weeks until the audition, and I know he is an Angel, but dancing obviously means a lot to him.
“Ang, I’m sure he’s just taking extra rehearsal lessons. He’s sixth form anyway so he’s not in school that much anyway…” I guess I’d forgotten to tell Casey about our rendezvous in the music room “Besides it’s not like he’s dead or anything.”
She froze. Suddenly realizing what she had just said “Uh, no that’s not what I meant, I err…” I smiled at her; the panic on her face was rather amusing.
An awkward silence occurring in our conversation reminded us of our research day last week. We had found out so much about Joe and who he use to be, and yet we still knew nothing about him.
Casey had suggested many times that we needed another investigation day. I said I would think about it, although, to be honest, I didn’t see the point.
I want to know about Joe, I do. But if I have to go through this much trouble to find out about him I’d rather not. Why can’t he just tell me about himself? Instead of sending me on these weird riddle expeditions.
“Ang, I know you’re hurting.” Casey said; I turned to her, wondering what she would say this time “I would be too. Just think…where do you think Joe would go to try and stay away from you?” It was the weirdest question I had ever been asked, but it made a lot of sense. So I thought of what the answer could be.
At first I thought the ballet studio because of his love for dance; I then went against that idea. He knows I go there a lot and if he’s trying to avoid me he would go somewhere I don’t go to often.
I then thought about the castle. It’s quiet, it’s off the radar. I’m not there that often, but from his absence I might go there and remember everything that has happened between us.
My mind was overflowing with so many different locations, all of which are to easy. Joe would go somewhere that I would never think of, and because I’d never think of it…I have no flipping idea.
“It’s going to be something obvious” Casey said, her eyebrows scrunched up with frustration “He’s annoying like that, I bet it’s right under our noses.”
Just to test her theory Casey and I looked down our noses. We felt odd doing this but it seemed to bring up our spirits. And Casey did find something…
Her mobile was flashing letting her know that she had a text message. Picking up the phone to read the message she squealed slightly. I’m guessing it was Jared so I just continued to think.
I could hear her fingers quickly typing on the keys as she replied to his message. The quick typing obviously meant she was excited by whatever he had said.
“So what did he say?” I asked, my head still going through boxes of information. Lightly tapping my hand she cried happily “He’s taking me to see a Shakespeare play!”
I was shocked. Casey Ann Whittam was going to see a Shakespeare play?
Now don’t get me wrong, I love Casey. But she and Shakespeare do not fit in the same category. “Um …that’s great Case” I said slowly, hoping my confusion wouldn’t come off to thick.
“I know! It’s going to be at the theatre in town. It’s um…what’s the play with the lover people…?” She asked; her mind not able to put the two together.
“Romeo and Juliet” I answered sarcastically, rolling my eyes at the same time.
She clicked her fingers “That’s the one! Yeah Jared said loads have people have been queuing up all this week to get front row seats. The actors and actresses are all from London and the best in the bizz.”
Romeo…Juliet….Joe….week….London…Those words finally clicked into place. I knew where Joe was, and I was going to see him.
“Where are you going?” Casey asked (her mind is much slower than I thought possible.) I sighed heavily, and explained to her what I had just realized.
Walking into the town wasn’t like my usual experience of a girl’s day out. No. I was power walking, my anger over boiling towards Joe. Casey (who was pretty much dying trying to keep up with me) still couldn’t get over the fact that he was here, and that she had figured it out and not realized.
“Seriously…how…could I....not have…realized … that…he…..he…” She was exhausted, no doubt about it “For…Christ…bloody…child….slow...down-!” I would have continued to walk quickly if Casey hadn’t tripped over and taken me down with her.
“Geeofff Casey!” I cried; my voice muffled as I had landed with my face smushed on the gravel with Casey crumpled all over my back.
She rolled off me but held me to the ground by grabbing my feet. I was angry and yet with all my kicking and yelling Casey wouldn’t let go.
“Angie! I will let you go as soon as you promise not to physically harm anyone when we arrive.” Casey said, her eyes scrunched up and her arms holding tighter and tighter around my legs.
It was an ultimatum. Stand there all day or see the love of my life. “Fine” I stropped, folding my arms in a huff. She let go of my legs and we walked together (at a normal pace) to the theatre.
A long line of people were visible from the distance we were at, I guess some people in Birmingham really do have taste. Even if we were far away I searched through the line of the crowd, just knowing that if Joe was there someplace I would feel it.
This was the last place I would have thought of, well actually I never would have thought of it. I know he likes Shakespeare (he’s quoted half the bloody book from Romeo and Juliet) but why would he come to the play of it? It’s so random.
“It’s rather weird that he’s here, I mean he like quotes Shakespeare to you right? Well why he needs to come to the play I don’t know…” Casey trailed off; I turned to her and saw her pained expression, but as soon as I asked her what was wrong she made a lame excuse by saying she stubbed her toe.
We continued to walk towards the line of people, Casey suddenly picking up pace. I couldn’t understand her expression, it was just so unexpected. She obviously knows something I don’t know. And I plan to find out exactly what.
As we grew nearer and nearer to the crowd Casey expression turned more and more crumpled. It was as if she didn’t want us to be there anymore, although her expression didn’t show that she was worried about herself. And from the side way glances, I’m guessing it was to do with me.
“Casey!” A boy cried, his voice thick with excitement and warmth, it was hard not to smile when I saw Jared waving madly from his place in line.
The expression on her face immediately lightened, as she ran towards Jared. Meeting him at his place in line it was like fireworks exploded all around. Seriously you could cut the sexual tension with a knife.
I had to clear my throat to remind them that I was here. They broke apart, showing little awkwardness on their faces, and smiled brightly at me. The emotion was almost blinding to watch.
“I didn’t know you liked Shakespeare” I asked, my question aimed at Jared but more asked towards Casey mainly because she seemed literally excited about the whole extravaganza.
“Yeah, I’ve always like Shakespeare. This play in particular…” He looked at Casey as he quoted “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.”
Casey smiled, her emotion was clearly happy. Only one thing. Only one thing gave her away. It was the eyes; her eyes were tight and sharp. It would be hard for anyone else to notice this, but because I’ve none her so long and I know the real her, I can tell these things.
“Ang…” Jared said, his voice suddenly very wary of what he was about to say. I smiled at him, “Don’t worry, I’m not staying. I’m actually looking for Joe…have you seen him at all?”
I could see the concentration on his face as he went through his mind wondering if he had. Casey’s expression became more and more pained, I would have to ask her later, but right now I had Joe on the mind. I wouldn’t let him avoid me any longer.
A quick snap of the fingers brought me back to Earth, and I quickly looked to Jared. “Yeah I did see him; he was at the front of the queue. He must have stayed here for ages.”
I was about to reply when I was shoved to the side, I was about to demand an apology when I heard someone in the line cry “We’re going in!”
Turning to Jared I asked quickly, my thoughts only on seeing Joe “Do you have to have tickets before hand or can you but them here?” He seemed unsure, but then the woman behind him joined our conversation.
Her accent seemed foreign, she could have been from France or even Belgium “Er, you can buy da tickets here. If you buy before hand, you can get box seats but that is all.”
I thanked her, and turned to face Casey “I guess I will be staying after all.”
Joe Livorarte I said in my head Just you wait, no one hurts my heart and gets away with it.